MIKE FINK, THE KEEL-BOATMAN. 165 
round of manly excitement; they were, when most na- 
tural, hyperbolical in thought and in deed, if compared 
with any other class of men. Their bravery and chiv- 
alrous deeds were performed without a herald to pro- 
claim them to the world—they were the mere incidents 
of a border life, considered too common to attract atten- 
tion, or outlive the time of a passing wonder. Death 
has nearly destroyed the men, and obscurity is fast ob- 
literating the record of their deeds; but a few examples 
still exist, as if to justify the truth of these wonderful 
exploits, now almost wholly confined to tradition. 
Among the flat-boatmen there were none who gained 
more notoriety than Mike Fink. His name is still re- 
membered along the whole of the Ohio, as a man who 
excelled his fellows in every thing,—particularly in his 
rifle-shot, which was acknowledged to be unsurpassed. 
Probably no man ever lived, who could compete with 
Mike in the latter accomplishment. Strong as Hercu- 
les, free from all nervous excitement, possessed of per- 
fect health, and familiar with his weapon from child- 
_hood;he raised the rifle to his eye, and, having once 
taken sight, it was as firmly fixed as if buried in a 
rock. 
The rifle was Mike’s pride, and he rejoiced on all oc- 
casions where he could bring it into use, whether it was 
turned against the beast of prey or the more savage In- 
dian: and in his day, the last named was the common 
foe with whom Mike and his associates had to contend. 
